Family Relationships, Explore the Full Register of Veteran Specific Research
Family relationships are a foundation of support for veterans during and after their transition from service. Strong family connections can improve mental health, reduce isolation and provide stability during challenging times. Research shows that maintaining and strengthening these bonds helps veterans navigate identity shifts, manage stress and engage in recovery programs. Understanding these dynamics is essential for creating initiatives that grow communication, resilience and shared wellbeing within families.
This resource brings together available studies focused on maintaining and strengthening family relationships. It’s designed to help researchers, policymakers and the veteran community access reliable information that supports wellbeing, recovery and systemic change. Please note that while much research is publicly available, some studies may require subscription access.
Explore the register below to find data about family relationships, if you’d like to explore another topic, you can do so here.
Author/Source: Freytes, I.M., et al., Am J Orthopsychiatry, 2017. 87(2): p. 149-156.
Summary: Explored the reintegration experiences of 12 veteran/significant other dyads affected by PTSD or TBI. The study underscores the importance of long-term support and tailored interventions to foster healthy reintegration for veterans and their families.
Title: Facilitating successful reintegration: Attending to the needs of military families.
Author/Source: Gil-Rivas, V., et al., Am J Orthopsychiatry, 2017. 87(2): p. 176-184.
Summary: Reviews factors influencing the reintegration of military service members and veterans within family contexts. It highlights the need for multi-level interventions—spanning families, schools, neighbourhoods, and communities—to promote resilience and wellness. The authors advocate for coordinated services, long-term support strategies, and capacity-building approaches that address both proximal and distal influences on family reintegration.
Author/Source: Skomorovsky, A., et al., Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health, 2020. 6(1): p. 15-27.
Summary: Surveyed 595 spouses of Canadian Armed Forces veterans released in 2016 to assess transition challenges and caregiving burdens. Findings revealed that difficulties accessing education and healthcare, loss of military identity, and frequent caregiving were significantly associated with increased stress and psychological distress. The study emphasises the need for targeted services to support spouses during the transition to civilian life and highlights caregiving as a critical factor in spousal wellbeing.
Title: Mental health of Canadian children growing up in military families: The parent perspective.
Author/Source: Williams, A., et al., Acta Psychologica, 2023. 235: p. 103887.
Summary: Explored how military lifestyle factors—frequent relocation, parental absence, and risk of injury—affect child mental health. The findings call for improved military cultural competence among healthcare providers and enhanced parental support to mitigate risks and promote resilience in military-connected children.
Title: The Mental Health of Military-Connected Children: A Scoping Review.
Author/Source: Cramm, H., et al., Journal of Child and Family Studies, 2019. 28(7): p. 1725-1735.
Summary: Synthesizes findings from 86 studies to explore how the unique stressors of military family life—mobility, separation, and risk—affect children’s mental health across developmental stages. The review highlights that family separation and deployment are consistently linked to negative mental health outcomes, while the impact of frequent relocations is mixed. Parental injury, PTSD, and civilian parent mental health issues also contribute to increased risk. The authors call for early identification and intervention to mitigate long-term consequences for military-connected children.
Author/Source: Creech, S.K. and G. Misca, Frontiers in Psychology, 2017. 8.
Summary: Examines how PTSD in military and veteran parents affects parenting behaviours and child outcomes. The review finds that PTSD is associated with increased parenting stress, reduced satisfaction, and negative child outcomes, including behavioural and emotional difficulties. It emphasises the need for family-centred care and further research into parenting dynamics in military families.
Author/Source: Cramm, H., et al., JBI Evid Synth, 2022. 20(7): p. 1638-1740.
Summary: Pulls together findings from 12 studies to explore the lived experiences of children raised in military families affected by parental PTSD. The review underscores the need for interventions that address the broader family system and include children’s voices in treatment and support strategies.
Author/Source: Gribble, R., et al., Waddell, E., et al., J Ment Health, 2023. 32(5): p. 899-909.
Summary: Presents findings from surveys and interviews with UK veterans, their partners, and adult children. The study found regional disparities in mental health outcomes and emphasised the importance of social support. It calls for tailored services to address the unique needs of veteran families and highlights gaps in research, particularly regarding adult children.
Author/Source: Waddell, E., et al., J Ment Health, 2023. 32(5): p. 899-909.
Summary: Linked national survey data from 1,217 Australian veterans and their families to explore help-seeking dynamics. It reveals that military culture poses significant barriers to mental health support, often more than cost or access. Families play a critical role in encouraging help-seeking, yet their perspectives often differ from veterans’, highlighting missed opportunities for early intervention. The authors advocate for greater recognition of families in mental health services and the development of resources to support their role.
Author/Source: Lawn, S., et al., Health Soc Care Community, 2022. 30(6): p. e4522-e4534.
Summary: Explored the experiences of 25 family members supporting Australian veterans and ESFRs in seeking mental health care. Families described a long and emotionally taxing journey, often marked by trauma exposure, workplace bullying, and lack of organisational support. The study highlights the need for systemic recognition of families’ contributions and calls for more inclusive, family-centred mental health support frameworks.
Title: Family Wellbeing Study, Part 2: Military Family Approaches to Managing Transition to Civilian Life.
Author/Source: Muir, S., 2018, Department of Defence and Department of Veteran Affairs: Canberra.
Summary: Presents qualitative findings from interviews with 25 family members of ex-serving ADF personnel, focusing on how families manage the transition to civilian life. The study underscores the importance of tailored support services and early intervention to ease the transition and improve outcomes for both veterans and their families.
Title: Veteran families with complex needs: a qualitative study of the veterans’ support system.
Author/Source: Maguire, A.M., et al., BMC Health Services Research, 2022. 22(1): p. 74.
Summary: Investigated the challenges faced by veteran families with complex needs in accessing health and social services. The findings advocate for recovery-oriented, family-centred care informed by military culture, and call for integrated service models to reduce the burden on families.
Author/Source: Evans, J., M. Romaniuk, and R. Theal, BMC Psychiatry, 2021. 21(1): p. 128.
Summary: Assessed the impact of a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program on 57 family members of veterans with mental health conditions. The findings suggest MHFA training is beneficial for empowering families, though additional support may be needed to address broader mental health challenges.
Title: A qualitative examination of the reintegration experiences of Australian Defense Force families.
Author/Source: Risi, A., et al., Military Psychology, 2024. 36(4): p. 410-421.
Summary: Explored reintegration experiences of ADF families with young children through written responses from 47 participants. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to support family cohesion and child wellbeing during reintegration.
Author/Source: Rogers, M., et al., Aust J Rural Health, 2023. 31(6): p. 1090-1102.
Summary: Surveyed 41 Australian Defence parents to assess their young children’s wellbeing and coping with military-related stressors. While most parents reported positive wellbeing, over a third noted difficulties with adaptation and emotional expression. Many parents lacked confidence and access to age-appropriate resources. The study calls for better support tools tailored to military families, especially in rural areas where access to services is limited.
Author/Source: O’Toole, B.I.,
Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2022. 35(1): p. 128-137.
Summary: Examined how PTSD in Australian Vietnam veterans affects their adult children, focusing on the role of family emotional climate. The findings suggest that fostering a supportive family environment may buffer against intergenerational transmission of trauma, particularly for female offspring.
Author/Source: Gunter, H.N., et al., Psychiatry Res, 2020. 294: p. 113509.
Summary: Explored how caregiver-child relationships and emotional climate in childhood influence PTSD risk in adult children of Vietnam veterans. The findings highlight sex-specific pathways in trauma transmission and underscore the importance of nurturing family environments in mitigating long-term mental health risks.
Author/Source: Forrest, W., B. Edwards, and G. Daraganova,
Int J Epidemiol, 2018. 47(4): p. 1060-1067.
Summary: Using a multigenerational survey of 1,966 adult children of Australian Vietnam veterans, this study found significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, suicidality, and poor mental health compared to peers whose fathers were not deployed. These findings underscore the enduring psychological impact of parental deployment and highlight the need for long-term support for military families.
Author/Source: McGuire, A.C., et al., Mil Med, 2016. 181(4): p. 319-27.
Summary: Assessed the health and wellbeing of 1,332 partners and 1,095 children of Australian Defence Force members. The study suggests that repeated parental absences due to deployment may accumulate adverse effects on children, emphasising the need for targeted support programs for military families.
Title: Families of returned defence force personnel: a changing landscape of challenges.
Author/Source: Berle, D. and Z. Steel, Australas Psychiatry, 2015. 23(4): p. 399-402.
Summary: Identifies four key challenges faced by families of returned defence personnel: relationship changes, role renegotiation, parenting difficulties, and increased conflict or violence. It highlights the lack of empirical research on post-deployment family adjustment and calls for clinicians to assess family dynamics thoroughly. The paper also discusses emerging issues such as moral injury and dual-career deployments, urging greater recognition of family resilience and the need for tailored mental health interventions.
Author/Source: Reynolds, A.
Summary: Assessed the impact of Surf Action’s surf therapy program on 374 young people from the UK Armed Forces community. The report highlights surf therapy’s role in fostering resilience and community integration among military families.
Title: School Transitions Among Military Adolescents: A Qualitative Study of Stress and Coping.
Author/Source: Bradshaw, C.P., et al., School Psychology Review, 2010. 39(1): p. 84-105
Summary: Explored the stress and coping strategies of military adolescents undergoing frequent school transitions. Coping mechanisms included peer support, extracurricular involvement, and family communication. The authors recommend school-based interventions to ease transitions and promote resilience among mobile military students.
Author/Source: Bennett JL. Provo: Brigham Young University; 2010 Jul 7.
Summary: Evaluated a couples-based adaptive sport and recreation program designed to reduce PTSD symptoms and enhance marital satisfaction among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their partners. Using ANCOVA analysis, the intervention showed significant reductions in PTSD symptoms and improvements in marital and leisure satisfaction. The findings support the therapeutic value of shared recreational experiences in promoting posttraumatic growth and relationship quality.
Author/Source: Johnson, H.A., R.B. Zabriskie, and B. Hill, Marriage & Family Review, 2006. 40(1): p. 69-91.
Summary: Examined how couple leisure involvement and satisfaction contribute to marital satisfaction. The findings suggest that the quality of shared leisure experiences—rather than quantity—is key to fostering relationship satisfaction, highlighting the importance of intentional and meaningful leisure activities for couples.
Author/Source: Cho, M.S., J Exerc Rehabil, 2014. 10(5): p. 313-8.
Summary: Investigated how family participation in recreational sports affects resilience and communication. The findings suggest that engaging in recreational sports together strengthens family bonds and enhances the ability to cope with stress, with resilience acting as a key mediator in improving communication.
Title: Young people with disabilities: the influence of leisure experiences on family dynamics.
Author/Source: Duquette, M.-M., H. Carbonneau, and C. Jourdan-Ionescu, Annals of Leisure Research, 2016. 19(4): p. 405-423.
Summary: Explored how leisure experiences of young people with disabilities influence family dynamics. Through case studies of five families, the research found that participation in physical activities outside the home fostered independence, improved family communication, and strengthened resilience. A typology of family responses and a model of leisure’s influence on family functioning were developed, underscoring the transformative role of inclusive leisure in promoting healthy family relationships.
Author/Source: Morgan, A., et al., Disability and Rehabilitation, 2019. 41(23): p. 2832-2840.
Summary: Explored the therapeutic impact of scuba diving on 15 male veterans with combat-related injuries. The program combined diving qualifications with peer support, and the most pronounced benefits were observed in veterans with psychological injuries. The study concludes that scuba diving offers meaningful rehabilitative value, particularly for veterans with co-morbid mental health conditions.
Author/Source: Hawkins, B.L.C., A.Lynne.; Crowe, Brandi M., Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 2011. 309(4): p. 309-325.
Summary: Examined the experiences of injured service members participating in a Paralympic military sports camp. The findings support the use of adaptive sports camps as therapeutic recreation interventions that foster psychological resilience and community reintegration.
Author/Source: Post, D., et al., PLoS One, 2023. 18(10): p. e0287228.
Summary: Explored the experiences of 15 veterans participating in the Invictus Pathways Program (IPP), which promotes recovery through sport and physical activity. Participants reported improvements in physical fitness, social engagement, and a sense of belonging. The program also fostered a desire to give back and maintain active lifestyles. The study highlights IPP’s role in enhancing wellbeing regardless of veterans’ initial health status.
Author/Source: Kay, C.W.P., H.L. Wingfield, and J. McKenna, Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022. 19(9).
Summary: Evaluated the psychological impact of a high-altitude expedition in Nepal on 10 UK veterans with longstanding wellbeing concerns. Through immersive training and health coaching, participants experienced growth in autonomy, competence, and relatedness—core elements of self-determination theory. Follow-up interviews revealed sustained improvements in physical activity, employment skills, and mindfulness up to 18 months post-expedition.
Author/Source: Theal, R., J.L. Kerin, and M. Romaniuk, Journal of Veterans Studies, 2020.
Summary: Assessed the psychosocial outcomes of Australian veterans who participated in peer-led adventure-based therapy. Results indicated improvements in psychological wellbeing, social connection, and self-efficacy. The program’s peer-led structure was particularly effective in fostering trust and shared understanding, contributing to participants’ sense of belonging and personal growth.
Author/Source: Serfioti, D. and N. Hunt, Disabil Rehabil, 2022. 44(24): p. 7566-7574.
Summary: Explored the impact of competitive motorsport on 14 British veterans with permanent physical injuries. Five key elements—team spirit, adrenaline, competition, equality, and familiar environments—contributed to psychological and physical benefits, including improved body image, socialisation, and lifestyle changes. The authors advocate for integrating extreme sports into rehabilitation programs to enhance veterans’ wellbeing and facilitate civilian reintegration.
Author/Source: Duong, A., et al., Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 2023. 68: p. 102457.
Summary: Examined the experiences of 21 family members of Invictus Games Toronto 2017 competitors, highlighting how adapted sport events can support both veterans and their families. The findings underscore the therapeutic and relational benefits of inclusive sport programming, suggesting that family involvement in events like the Invictus Games fosters healing, connection, and shared identity.
